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You ever have one of those moments were you think, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
I did. About six months, sitting in the movie theater (during one of my rare movie nights) when an ad played for the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop. I’d gone to see City of Ember with a writer friend of mine and I literarly turned to her and said, “Die Hard set at a mall. Why didn’t we think of that?”
I was flabbergasted. It’s such a simple idea, but it’s brilliant and full of comic potential. Die Hard set at a mall. Seriously. Why didn’t I think of that?
Now, in all fairness, the Kevin James, the guy who stared in Paul Blart: Mall Cop also got a writing credit for the movie. So the guy who collaborated with him, Nick Bakay, is probably a buddy of his. Since I’m not Kevin James’s buddy, even if I had thought of “Die Hard set at a mall,” then chances are good that I could have gotten Kevin James to star in it. So it probably wouldn’t have been made. So I can forgive myself for that lapse.
Flash forward to a week or so ago. As always, when I’m on deadline and therefore–naturally–procrastinating, I go over to the Apple site to watch movie trailers. I love movie trailers. I mentioned, didn’t I, that I don’t get to go to actual movies very often? But man, I love to watch the trailers and pretend that I might make it to the movie theater sometime. So there I am, watching movie previews and I stumble across the preview for Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.
Have you seen this preview? If not, here’s the low down: on the eve of his brother’s wedding, consumate bachelor Mathew McConaughey is visited by … well, you can guess right? The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Basically, it’s A Christmas Carol done as a romantic comedy. Again, why didn’t I think of that?
I can kind of forgive myself for not thinking of the Die Hard at a mall thing. After all, I don’t write action or comedies. But I do write romantic comedies. So why didn’t I think of A Christmas Carol romantic comedy? And more to the point, what other great ideas have I not thought of?
Blade Runner, as an animated buddy movie. The Maltese Falcon, set at a zoo. Ben Hur, the romantic comedy. Okay, so maybe none of these are the movie script that’s going to make me famous. But help me out, ladies, surely we’re just one idea way from fame …
Filed in: Jaunty Post
Mar 24th
2009
8:03 am
Margo Maguire Said:
Hmmm… I thought of my Warrior books as “Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings.” Does that count?
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Mar 24th
2009
8:15 am
Shana Galen Said:
Well, when I saw the Mall Cop preview, I thought, why do I have to sit through this! Guess I could be more creative, but cometimes previews do give me ideas for books if I twist them.
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Mar 24th
2009
9:31 am
kristan higgins Said:
Very funny, Emily! There are definitely times when I see a movie and say, “Jeesh. That was perfect.” While You Were Sleeping. Only You. Moonstruck. Ah, well. Hopefully, someone will read one of our books and say the same thing, right?
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Mar 24th
2009
1:27 pm
RobynDeHart Said:
I don’t know that I ever think that about movies, though I often think the way I’d do the story would be way better. I remember seeing the previews for the movie “Unbreakable” and my perception of what the story was going to be based on the trailer was way different than the actual movie and I still think my idea was better.
I borrow from movies all the time though, spinning ideas for scenes, plot lines or characters – no new ideas and all that. But I do think it’s funny how will some movies you can just hear the pitch meeting – the Paul Blart being one of them.
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Mar 24th
2009
3:23 pm
Maya M. Said:
“The Maltese Falcon, set in a zoo.”
Hee. That one might actually have potential…
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Mar 25th
2009
9:24 am
Romantic Girl Said:
I thought Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was a great idea as well! Versions of A Christmas Carol have been so played out, but I still thought this was brilliant and so simple. Man, but I never thought of Paul Blart as Die Hard in the mall…very smart! Similar to Robyn, I tend to watch movies or read books and think of how I could have done them differently (and better, of course).
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